Questions for Chicago’s Own IGNESCENT
Interview conducted on December 01. 2021
By Dan Locke
The full EP, Ascension, drops March 4th and will be celebrated with a live performance at The Forge in Joliet, IL with Otep on the same date. The EP will include a new song, “Anymore”, mixed and edited by Nick Radovanovic, who has worked with Skillet.
Female fronted and from Chicago, Illinois, IGNESCENT is a Billboard-charting rock band founded by Jennifer Benson. Since 2008, the band has been primarily touring throughout the Midwest and Nashville area. IGNESCENT headlined the Budweiser Boneyard Stage last year at Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin. IGNESCENT have opened for Stryper, Flyleaf, Eve 6, Megadeth, Saliva, Lacey Sturm, Otep, Another Lost Year, Art of Dying, Letters From The Fire, Like a Storm and has played at fests with Switchfoot, Colton Dixon, Memphis May Fire, The Devil Wears Prada, Veridia, Building 429, Chris Tomlin, and TobyMac. The band has co-written songs with Jeremy Valentyne of New Years Day, including their last release “Exodus,” which he also produced and performed on.
What is your upbringing?
Jennifer Benson: I was brought up Catholic and went to Catholic school for 8 years and public High School. Though I am no longer Catholic.
How did you discover music?
I remember hearing bands like Flyleaf, Skillet, and Evanescence and thinking “that’s what I want to do”. There’s nothing like getting the adrenaline pumping with some rock music.
How did you start to write music?
A friend of mine started taking voice lessons. So I became interested and started taking vocal lessons too. Soon after that I started singing in church and decided I wanted to write music. The first song I wrote was a worship song though I never recorded it.
Jen- Did you have a band called Jennifer Benson and the Mission?
Yes I did. Right before I started Ignescent.
How did your band form?
I actually put out an ad on Craigslist and contacted some musicians on bandmix. Though the bassist was actually a friend of the guitarist in the band.
How did you get your bands name?
I was looking in the dictionary and praying for the right band name and it popped out at me… Ignescent
Describe your music.
Our music is super heavy, especially the newer songs releasing in 2022. The songs were all written on an 8 string guitar but still have a top 40s vibe with catch melodies. The lyrics I write are from past experiences and there is usually a positive message or an honesty to the lyrics of past painful experiences.
What was your first performance at like?
My first performance was at Penny Road Pub in Barrington, IL. It was alot of fun and I was addicted to performing live after that.
You have opened up for the likes of Stryper, Flyleaf, Eve 6, Megadeth, Saliva. Lacey Sturm, Otep , Like a Storm, September Mourning, Madema Mayhem, Soil, Skillet, Kaleido, Stitchedup Heart and TobyMac. What words of wisdom about the fast moving world of music?
I’d say take every opportunity you have to perform wherever you can if you’re an artist or band because you never know if that opportunity will arise again. Take risks, work hard, and have fun.
Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP ?
Yes. I and the band belong to ASCAP.
What makes a good songwriter?
I think what makes a good songwriter is drawing upon the deep well of emotions from painful experiences from your past and not holding back. It makes the song authentic and relatable.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
The 1st song I wrote was called “I Worship You” and I never recorded it. The 1st song I wrote and recorded was called “Thirst” as a solo artist under the name Jennifer Benson.
What is the process of writing your music?
Sometimes I write a melody and lyrics first and then the band writes around that and sometimes the guitarist will give me a guitar part and I will write a melody and lyrics to that. Ian, the bassist in Ignescent, sometimes writes lyrics too.
How was playing the Vans Warped Tour?
It was awesome! One of my favorite shows we’ve played.
Your first CD “Electrified” was product with someone who was a 4 time Dove Award winner and Grammy nominated producer. How did you come to find him.
I saw online that The Letter Black worked with Travis Wyrick. I contacted him and was surprised to get a response. 2 weeks later we were in his studio in Tennessee recording.
Tell me about your latest release Exodus?
We wrote that song out of the angst and heartbreak because of the pandemic and wanted the sound of the song to capture that feeling. Jeremy Valentyne, formerly of the band New Years Day, produced it and is featured on it doing background vocals.
You shot a video in the old Joliet Prison. Did you get any vibes from either the Blues Brothers or the Fox TV show Prison Break?
They had signs showing where certain parts of the movie were filmed. It was so cool to film our music video there. I couldn’t believe how tiny the jail cells were. Can’t imagine having to live in their. It was an amazing experience.
Tell me about Remnant which is schedule to be released on January 21st.
A remnant is a small remaining quantity of something. The song is about never giving up and never losing hope even when it seems everything and everyone is against you. Even when others around you quit. “We will not be silent and we will not back down. We are the remnant.”
Tell me about the making of your EP Ascension.
We recorded one of the songs which is a ballad called “Anymore” ourselves and Nick Radovanovic, who has worked with Skillet, edited and mixed it. Cameron Pierce Mizell flew into Chicago and recorded and produced all the other songs on our EP. He has worked with Memphis May Fire and Sleeping With Sirens. We can’t wait for everyone to hear the new songs!
How was it to work with Cameron Pierce Mizell?
It was awesome to work with him. He is so creative and I love all his ideas to make the song better. He is super easy to work with.
What is your favorite track on your album?
My favorite track is “Remnant”
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
Well it’s definitely convenient and easy to get music listened to because of streaming.
Digital vs. vinyl?
Digital.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Red Sam by Flyleaf. It means alot to me. In a world that is so chaotic its comforting to know that God is there for me to comfort me and speak His truth to me.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
It certainly has caused alot of problems but I have been to shows recently and I think people missed live music so much that they are back and eager to enjoy shows again. In some places the shows are more packed then they were before.
Do you think that Covid-19 has been a plus to an artist career?
I think temporarily it has hurt it in many ways and many people have lost money, but I think artists are hungrier now to do what they love because they lost their opportunity for awhile and the fans are more appreciative of live music since it was taken away from us for awhile.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
I have been writing songs and spending time with family.
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
I bought a treadmill and worked out in my house every day to stay sane and healthy. Plus spending time with family.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I rediscovered some games like Uno and Phase 10.
Recently the virus has come back with the Delta outbreak, which as cause many people in the industry to worry about the future of live music.
How would you like live shows to be held and still keep you and fans safe.
I think the venues are all doing a fantastic job.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
Yes. Alot of bands spend money to go on tours with famous bands. We were asked to pay $250 to open for a band once. I said no thanks.
The show Star Trek introduced people to the holodeck: an immersive, realistic 3D holographic projection of a complete environment that you could interact with.
Today holograms are already being used in a variety of way, such as medical systems, education, art, security and defense
Performers like Tupac, Michael Jackson, Roy Orbison, Frank Zappa, Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, Buddy Holly, Ronnie James Dio, Marylin Monroe, and Whitney Houston have done it already. The band ABBA just announced that they will be doing a comeback together after nearly 40 years as holograms on their next tour. With ABBA it was with the help of George Lucas .
If the cost was down to the point you could do it also, would you be willing to do Holographic concerts in our living room?
Well that would be pretty awesome! There nothing like being at a concert with a room of people and all the energy and excitement in the room, but that could be pretty cool.
In the past if a musician stop doing music they find a new career. For example David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
I’d like to be a Youth Pastor or an Executive Assistant
What is your happy place?
My happy place is sitting in front of a warm heater, drinking Pepsi and eating pizza. Lol. And it’s also on stage.
Red Hot Chili Peppers are about to sell their entire song catalong for $140 Million. In the past year a lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks ($100 Million) , Bob Dylan (over $400 Million), Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, K.T. Tunstall, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Neil Young song 50 percent of his worldwide copyright and income interest in his 1,180 song catalogue to Hipnosis Songs Fund limited . Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative then the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Someone who was totally against selling his rights was David Crosby. He did not want to sell his publishing rights. And it was not a easy thing for him to do. But by making a deal with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, it took a big weight off of his shoulders. He could pay off his house and cover other bills. And now he doesn’t have to work for a living. It should be noted that David is battling tendinitis in his hands which hurts his ability to play guitar.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs?
That’s something I would have to think long and hard about. But if would help to pay the bills than yes it might be worth it.
There are many platforms out there that allow artists to get their music heard. Artist Republik, DistroKid, Tunecore & plenty others offer distribution services. These services enable independent artists to put their music on some of the most popular streaming services globally, from Spotify to Apple Music & everything in between. If you’ve been in any part of the music industry in recent years, you probably know someone that has distributed a song.
Spotify reports that in 2021 there are about 8 million artists on the platform. Of those 8 million artists, about 57,000 are raking in a whopping 90% of the total revenue from streams. That means that .71% of the artists on Spotify are making good money. In 2020, there was a total of around $5 billion paid out to artists on the Spotify platform alone.
Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?
Well the potential is very exciting to think about. It’s definitely a great opportunity for Independent artists.
Over half a billion active users around the world share their favorite music on TikTok either with something like a dance challenges and lip-sync videos or creating a funny skit or candid camera moment.
TikTok has became a great platform for music promotion, sharing songs, and finding new listeners. In which it has become a place for music artist to earn revenue when people use their music. Which in many cases the daily promotion on TikTok has led to hug boosts on other platforms like Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.
TikTok does this with the the algorithmically generates a feed of content for each user, which you see as the displaying of #. The more a user engages with content, the smarter TikTok gets at guessing what kind of videos the viewer wants to watch.
Because a song can go viral because of this.
Sony Music and Warner Music Group- , The ByteDance-owned video app revealed that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?
Breaking news: TikTok is launching TikTok Radio, a full-time SiriusXM music channel going live this summer.The station will be available in vehicles and as a streaming channel on the SiriusXM App, desktop, and all connected devices.
Some of the on TikTok include Cassyette, YukoEXE, Ashinikko, Palaye Royale, Josh Dun (Twenty One Pilots), Yungblud, Morrissey, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons, and Mick Jagger.
The station will be part of a new TikTok collaboration with SiriusXM and its subsidiary,Pandora, to jointly promote emerging talent. Do you think this platform could became a force in the future of streaming music?
I definitely do and can’t wait to see what happens with it!
Anything you would like to say in closing.
We have a new Ignescent merch store you can check out here – https://ignescent.creator-spring.com/
You can check out our songs on Spotify. Our latest song “Goodbye” by Ignescent is on there. Here is the Spotify link for Ignescent
Make sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @ignescentmusic Our website is www.ignescentmusic.com We have a show with Otep at The Forge in Joliet, IL on March 4, 2022 and here is the presave link to “Remnant” out Jan. 21, 2022 – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ignescent/remnant and our music video premiere link to “Remnant” –
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